My students need a rug to sit on during our large-group sharing times.
FULLY FUNDED! Mr. Davan's classroom raised $357
This project is fully funded
My Students
We meet daily as a whole class for a number of reasons. Most often, we have literature discussions where we encourage students to have conversations with each other about their reading. We use the rug space to teach students the skills needed to have productive conversations.
The students in our school come from a diverse background.
Over 20 languages are spoken at our school and over a third of our students go home to families where a language other than English is spoken. For many of our students, school is the only opportunity they have to have meaningful conversations in English.
My Project
In our literature discussions, students learn to listen to each other and build off of each other's ideas. They learn the cues in a conversation of when it is appropriate to join in as well as when to listen. They are encouraged to "piggy back" or add on to another's ideas rather than simply report out their own opinion. The students also learn appropriate ways to disagree with another person.
With practice, they learn that conversations are more meaningful when they stay on one or two open-ended topics rather than multiple topics for brief periods. Ultimately, as their confidence grows, they learn to support their claims with evidence from the text and to challenge differing opinions.
We had to get rid of our old rug because it was so filthy and frayed. So, we are currently sitting on the concrete floor. It's cleaner than the old rug, but it is cold and hard. A new rug will make the experience more comfortable for the students to meet together.
Our meeting times and discussions are an integral part of our students' language and social pragmatics development.
We believe that learning the skills to listen and communicate effectively will help our students be more successful in school and in the community.
More than half of students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mr. Davan and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.